Home Management Folder

I love my home management binder. It's just a 3 ring binder with dividers and page covers. It's the brain of my home (since my brain is mostly gone). Anything and everything I could possibly need is in there. It keeps me on schedule, it keeps me organized, it keeps me in contact, which all keeps me happy.

What I use to make it:

1. a three ring binder
2. page dividers
3. page protectors (great for holding receipts, coupons, cards, and such.)
4. a three ring binder whole punch (unless you put all your pages in page protectors.)
   
5. post it notes (are a must for me so I keep a little stack in the front pocket
6. a pen (you'll use this often and not want to search for one.)

Here's what is currently in my home management folder divided by the bold categories:

Meal Planning-

• calendar month of meal plan
• printed recipes that I use almost every week (ie. bread, snacks, etc.)
• dinner ideas list
• lunch ideas list
• azure standard schedule
• azure standard order receipts
• recipes I want to try
• the basic recipes I use almost every week
  

Homeschool-

• school year calendar
• kid's Bible reading chart
• kid's individual weekly curriculum plan
• kid's course of study and scope
• kid's weekly lesson plans
• reading list for library books

Coupons-

• sorted in page protectors by expiration date

(coupons are for eating out mostly but also specialty items that we regularly buy, coupons the kids earn at our library reading program, gift cards, etc.)

Communication-

• important information I don't want to forget! Especially with coming up events
• next month's cards for birthdays and other events
• church directory, neighborhood directory, family directories
• list of new neighbor's names (so that I don't forget them!)
• medical results, doctor appointments, current research I'm doing of any sort
• a list of questions to as your kids to connect with them spiritually
• things I need to respond to or follow up on (ie. wedding invites, letters, orders, etc.)
  

Finances-

• monthly cash flow plan
• budget
• receipts to keep
• other financial notes (ie. goals, etc.)

At different times my folder has also included categories such as:

Home Decorating-

• I save paint chips
• magazine pages of things I like
• list of items to keep my eye out for at garage sales
• etc.

Christmas-

• Christmas gift ideas
• list of gifts bought previously
• menu plan
• Christmas card list and check list
• postage
• etc.

Cleaning-

• daily cleaning schedule
• weekly cleaning schedule
• monthly cleaning schedule

Marriage-

• date ideas
• baby sitter contact list
• spontaneous ways to show love ideas
• plans for anniversary
• plans for valentines
• gift ideas
• etc.

My current binder had a window pocket design on the front. So, I wrote Home Management on a piece of paper and slid it in the pocket. I found it at Walmart. Yes, it can get a little messy at times since life is busy but at least it's all there and I know where it is!